Once and For All // By Jessica Taylor Cappel

You’re in bed, unable to find the energy or motivation to get up as dishes and laundry pile up… feeling numb, invisible, worthless. Time just ticks away until you’ve wasted yet another purposeless day.

Have you ever felt this way, or perhaps even worse?

These thoughts and feelings can be crippling. They can be loud and vicious. They can be debilitating.

Growing up in a pastor’s family, I’ve seen “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of people’s behavior. It has been the most rewarding time of my life, and it has also been the most hurtful. I’ve been blessed to grow up in a home grounded in faith and the Word of God. A home where prayer and seeking out truth in the Word was the answer to all the “stuff” life throws at you. In this life, I’ve also experienced some of the hurt people’s actions can cause, and there were times when I found myself experiencing the emotions I listed above because I allowed my hurt to speak louder than the truth of my identity in Christ. I was embarrassed to be experiencing these emotions; I am a “faith girl” after all, and people of faith don’t struggle – or so I told myself.

However, as I’ve grown up in my relationship with God and understanding of His Word, I have come to know that facing struggles or experiencing emotions does not make us faithless, a failure, or even weak. I have found freedom in realizing that even in our imperfections, dark times, failures, sins, grief, hopelessness, and despair, God has already provided the answer and victory we need. We just have to reach out and take hold of it. He is that faithful!

In studying this topic, I began focusing on the fifth chapter of 1 Peter. This chapter first addresses the church leadership and then transitions to the church. There is one particular verse in this chapter that I want to focus on in relation to the depression, anxiety, or stress that we may face in life. There will be times in life when we will face stresses and anxieties, and there will be some of us who will struggle with depression, but I want you to know today that God has already given us the answer for those times.

1 Peter 5:7 says,

“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (AMPC)

“You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern.” (PHILLIPS)

Verse 7 very clearly tells us that we are to cast ALL of our anxieties, cares, concerns, worries, and so forth once and for all on Him. Does that mean that when things start looking bleak a few days or weeks down the road that we begin to meditate and give place to those anxieties and worries? No. We are to cast them once and for all on Him! Why? Because He cares about us, and He cares about our mental and emotional health.

He knows that if we are weighed down by worry, anxiety, care, concern, and depression that our lives will be without joy or fulfillment. He knows that if we continue to carry those weights, we won’t be able to be the best wife/mother/sister/daughter/friend that we are called to be. He knows that if those things distract us, we will fail to see our worth, value, purpose, and meaning on this side of eternity.

Because He cares about us with great affection, He provided us with a solution… He is standing there waiting and patiently asking, “Will you give me your load of weights before you sink? Will you let me carry your worries and anxieties so that you can run free and unfettered to the fullness of the call on your life?”

He is standing there waiting, and all we have to do is take the box carrying our anxieties and worries and place it in His hands as we leap forward in joyous freedom toward the life He has called us to.

Whatever you may be facing today, remember that He is right there with you in the darkest of nights; He is there to take your anxieties and worries once and for all. I trust this message reveals to you that the Creator of the universe cares deeply and affectionately about YOU and that you will always remember that you are His personal concern.